PfSense hardware for home, what to buy

michi93

Hi All,
I want to configure firewall at home, earlier i was using Stormshield and Barracuda devices.
I’ve decided to try PfSense but i don't want to use official hardware. It is too boring and in Poland hard to buy in good price.
I have 3 options which I can buy, all devices have price around 75$

Dell OptiPlex 980 SFF ->1x i5 650 2cores@ 4threats, 3.2 Ghz , 60GB SSD, 8GB DDR3
HP DL360 G6 ->1x Xeon x5620 4cores @ 8 threats, 2.4Ghz, 2x146GB SAS 10k Drives, 16GB DDR3
HP SE316M1 G6 ->2x Xeon L5630 2x(4cores @ 8 threats), 2.13Ghz, 2x146GB SAS 10k Drives, 16GB DDR3

All SAS drive would be replaced with SSD(with SSDs price of device stays at the same level as in case with SAS drives).

Both servers would consume the same amount of electricity, and I think i can make them quiet.

All CPUIs support AES-NI.

Main internet connection which I have is 600 up /150 down which will be change in short time to 1000/300 Mbps
Backup connection is 150/50 Mbps.
Some service which I hosting at home will have to be accessible from network and I will have to have access by VPN to some VMs at home.

To each device I’ll have to buy Intell NICs, but at the beginning in case of servers I can use built in NICs.
In future I want replace ISP devices with build in ONT to my own devices.

PfSense will be have configured (i think so) plugins such as:
-VPN server
-Suricata
-iperf
-pfBlockerNG
-Squid
-SquidGuard
-Darkstat

Which one from 3 mentioned devices would reccomend to you buy ?

Below "sketch" of home my network
Untitled Document.jpg

stephenw10

@michi93 said in PfSense hardware for home, what to buy:

earlier i was using Stormshield and Barracuda devices.

You may be able to run pfSense on one of those of they are available to you. It would not be boring.

Steve

michi93

@stephenw10
Unfortunately I had to give those back to my ex employer.

Ok o decided to buy SFF dell instead of buying server, if that would be not powerfull enough i'll buy server.